Rockets head to break and toward trade deadline with a dud

No. The Rockets need more of the determination that Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola showed on Wednesday, not less.

Trade anyone?

Clearly, if there had been any doubt before, the Rockets can go into the break knowing that Daryl Morey would consider anything.

Sure the Rockets could use a center. They can use a lot of things, and anything they add must come with defense attached.

There just is no way to be a good team when a team is horrible at something. The Rockets are often horrible defensively, and certainly were on Wednesday when they went into the break allowing 18 points more than the 76ers average and 10 more points in the paint. They showed so little pride defensively that they gave up 22 fast-break points on a night they had just eight turnovers.

They were not caught in a bad section of the schedule, not coming off a road trip or worn down by back-to-backs. They had one game to play before six days off and when the Sixers made a run, the Rockets tried to outgun them instead of just playing hard, more determined defense.

The Rockets — with good reason — don’t think of themselves that way. So when they struggle, they try to win in other ways. Sometimes they can. They hit just 28.1 percent of their 3s so on Wednesday they could not.

The Rockets might be able to get back to .500 at some point this season, but a team that does not defend consistently does not win consistently. Getting back into the playoff hunt seems impossible.

It’s not, but the Rockets will need some major changes, and not just to the roster.

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With the trade deadline a week away, there is still every indication that the Rockets will be very active in talks. They still seem very willing to take on contracts, still hoping their expiring contracts and young talent can bring help.

They won’t do something just to bolster this season, but that was never the plan, anyway. Daryl Morey has always been trying to find long-term help. And it could come at any position.

Chances are that if there is a major deal it will be for someone now unavailable. Morey said he had no inkling at the All-Star break last season that he would get Kevin Martin at the deadline. The Kings changed their position. The Rockets, in a move they did not see coming, offered Carl Landry to make the trade work.

Morey can’t sit and hope someone becomes willing to deal a player they have kept off the table so far, but with nothing close and a week to go, it might be best to expect the unexpected.